When multiple White House staff members were reported to have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, Trump stated that he was “not worried” about the infection’s spread within the administration’s inner sanctum. However, within days, he was telling aides that he “doesn’t want to be near” any person who hasn’t been tested. The same day he said that he had “prevailed” against COVID-19, administration staff were ordered to start wearing masks in the White House, with one person even saying that working there was “scary.” Even so, Trump continued his reckless push to reopen the national economy. And he still won’t wear a face mask.

American citizens and public officials alike continue to criticize Trump and his administration for the dangerous delay in boosting the country’s testing capacity. Mitt Romney, R-UT, criticized the Trump administration on Tuesday for its dereliction of duty. Americans across the country are still experiencing severe testing shortages, yet in stark contrast the White House had immediate access to testing after some of its staff tested positive for coronavirus. And despite many experts having warned Trump back in February about the impending testing kit shortages, a recent report revealed that the administration took until the end of April to increase production of a key component of the tests. In fact, one health expert testified on Wednesday that the severe economic shutdown had been necessary because of the government’s failure to provide a robust testing infrastructure at the start of the pandemic.

But that’s why we must work together to support initiatives such as the House Democrats-proposed HEROES Act, which should form the basis of the next stage of federal coronavirus relief. This piece of legislation proposes that funding be allocated specifically for the U.S. Postal Service, election security measures, state and local governments, housing assistance, and other vital aid, and will be imperative for ensuring that the country can make it through the next few months of the pandemic. PFAW is working hard to hold the Trump administration accountable, and to do that, we need engaged supporters like you. Keep an eye on PFAW’s channels for how to get involved from home during this unprecedented time.